It Took a While, but This Version of the Lions Can Make Serious Noise

Detroit got whatever it wanted against a porous Cowboys defense on Thursday night, which bodes well for a challenging, but pivotal final stretch of the season.

The Lions offense fired on all cylinders in Thursday’s win over the Cowboys, racking up over 400 yards of offense and scoring 37 points. / Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Dan Campbell had to be wondering the same thing as every Honolulu Blue–clad fan at Ford Field: Where the heck has this been?

On Thursday night, the Lions beat the Cowboys 44–30 in a game with a deceiving final score, improving their record to 8–5 while remaining third in the ultra-competitive NFC North. According to The Athletic, their playoff chances jumped from 30% to 45% with the victory. 

After starting the season 4–1, the Lions were a listless 3–3 over the next six games, including an ugly, home overtime win against the two-win Giants, in which they allowed 517 yards, before losing on Thanksgiving to the Packers.

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Yet against the red-hot Cowboys, who were fresh off three wins, including victories over the Eagles and Chiefs, Detroit was a team possessed. The defense, a maligned unit allowing 29 points per game over the past two weeks, shut down Dallas, limiting it to nine points and 153 yards in the first half. 

In the third quarter, Derrick Barnes picked off Dak Prescott on the first play after the break, and the competitive phase of the game was all but over with the Lions taking a 27–9 lead two plays later. The Cowboys added tons of empty stats afterwards, but never had the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead.

Offensively, the Lions did whatever they wanted. Jared Goff had a big night, throwing for 309 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, Detroit ran just six times in the first half but racked up 62 yards and two touchdowns. Trying to salt away the game over the final 30 minutes, the Lions ran for two more scores, finishing off the Cowboys and their brief playoff dreams.

All of this begs the obvious question: Is this a one-off, or can the Lions turn the proverbial corner and get rolling?

Detroit has work remaining. By winning out, the Lions would make the playoffs and potentially be in the mix for the NFC North crown. However, taking the division is a tough task, with the Packers and Bears each having only three losses. The glimmer of hope is that those teams play twice over the next three weekends. 

Jared Goff was methodical on Thursday night, completing 25 of 34 passes for 309 yards and a touchdown / Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

If the Lions go 3–1 against the Rams (road), Steelers (home), Vikings (road) and Bears (road), that would give them a 90-plus percent chance of reaching the postseason, unless the loss comes to Chicago, which would put their odds at 83%, per The Athletic. 

In a league that has been the ultimate parity showcase in 2025, Detroit has to be only thinking about getting into the tournament, whether that’s as a seventh seed or above. 

If the Lions can make the postseason, they’d be one of the more dangerous teams on either side of the bracket. Detroit has playoff experience, having reached the divisional round or further in each of the past two seasons. It’s the only NFC team which can claim that distinction. 

The Lions also have a plethora of weapons, even without tight end Sam LaPorta, who is out for the year with a back injury. Detroit has a real chance to have a quarterback who throws for 4,000 yards (Goff), a receiver who notches 1,000 yards (Amon-Ra St. Brown) and they already have a 1,000-yard-plus running back (Jahmyr Gibbs). Looking around the NFL, the only other teams that could match that feat are the Colts, Cowboys, Rams and Seahawks. 

Defensively, the Lions have had their issues from week-to-week, but they also entered Week 14 ranking 12th in EPA per play against (-0.06) and fifth in pressure rate at 38.7%, better than the Broncos and Texans. Aidan Hutchinson and Al-Quadin Muhammad have proven to be a terrific duo, totaling 17.5 sacks thus far. 

All that said, the playoffs are no given. The Lions likely need to win three of their next four games or better. If they fall next week in Los Angeles against a Rams team certain to be favored, they’d need to win out, including a Week 18 game in Chicago against former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and the NFC’s current top seed. 

Lions fans should be hopeful. Campbell should be driving home happy. But all have to be wondering if this is a mirage or a statement.

And if it’s the latter, where the heck has it been?

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